La Movida Madrileña
The La Movida Madrileña marked a cultural turning point in Spain beginning in 1975 with the death of long-time dictator Francisco Franco. It signified change and the chance of a new identity for Spain, as the country changed to a liberal democracy, began to recover from a weak economy and moved towards Spain's newfound freedom. The movement originated in Madrid but soon spread throughout the main cities, where an abundance of personal expression - art, clothing, music, literature, language, etc. - took over.
The ability to really push boundaries for the first time in 35 years sparked an unrelentless excitement within society. In fashion, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada is a perfect example of this as she kick-started sociocultural change with brightly coloured clothes complemented with astrological symbols to create an individual and original collection. Another form of individuality was introduced by Juan Carlos Arguello, a graffiti artist who "tagged" his work across Madrid and became an inspiration for the youth by displaying his skills in public spaces in a way that hadn't been seen before. Comics were another popular medium to mark the change in society, though the most noted pieces to come out were around the mid 1980's with a host of artists, such as Camus and Juan Calonge, displaying their talents.